7
by alittlesummerwine
Summary: The original 7 members of the Justice League decide to spend Christmas Eve together, sharing memories, giving gifts, and enjoying each other's company. Slightly AU. HGGL, BMWW, SMLL & FLinda. Includes the next Christmas as well.
1. 7

**Title: 7**

**Synopsis: A one-shot. The original 7 members of the Justice League decide to spend Christmas Eve together, remembering what has passed and enjoying the company of today. Slightly AU. HGGL, BMWW, mentions of SMLL, FLinda. There may be a slight addendum to the story, but it's up to you readers!**

**Thanks to SiriusLover4Eva for beta-ing this story for me!**

"_I am yours now and u are mine/And together we'll love through/All space and time" – Prince, 7_

In the center of the living room of Wayne Manor towered a Christmas tree, gaily decorated with brightly colored bulbs, glass ornaments that sparkled in the sunlight, strands of garland and white twinkling lights wrapped around from the trunk to the tip of the tree where there rested a gilt star, just a bit off-kilter and threatening to fall at any moment.

"Flip the switch, Wally," Clark said and a second later, the darkness was pierced by hundreds of little lights glowing from the Christmas tree, lending a festive atmosphere to the room and bathing it in what appeared to their happy eyes to be starlight.

It was breathtaking.

The seven stopped for a few moments to revel in their handiwork, all of them secretly pleased that they had elected to take today, Christmas Eve, to enjoy the holiday as a group, as the team they had once been. The holidays were a time for loved ones, for happiness, for mistletoe, and for make believe, and today, the seven original members of the Justice League were taking the day for themselves. Not one of them had monitor duty, not one had anywhere else to be today, including Gotham or Central City. All minor emergencies had been handed to those who could aptly take care of it and all potential emergencies would be dealt with as they cropped up, as was the usual way.

Still, for now, this day was about the original seven, about rebuilding the camaraderie that they had once shared, about remembering what had brought them together so many years before and how much had changed for all of them since that day.

Superman had been a hero of the highest caliber for many years, using his strength and his boyish grin in order to defeat villains and win over the public. And they had taken him into their heart, never realizing that behind the 'S' was an ordinary man who had loved and lost more than any of them could imagine. He was so many things to so many different people: Kal-El, Clark, Supes, even called a boy scout by many, critics and otherwise. He was a dichotomy of the ordinary and extraordinary, but today, he was simply a friend.

Tomorrow, he would spend the day with the Kents, even having convinced Lois to take a few days off and venture out to Kansas and join his family for Christmastime; a feat that a lesser determined man would have given up on long before he managed to persuade her. And so, with all this in mind, the boyish grin was much in use today, flashing and laughing amongst his superhero family.

J'onn had been an alien from Mars come to warn the Earth and the Justice League about the parasitic race that was invading the planet, trying to stop the same destruction that had occurred on Mars long ago from occurring on Earth. He had been captured and tortured, rescued only when his telepathic waves had managed to reach Superman. It was thanks to a man who had been a stranger in their midst that that same stranger could now call Earth his home and these people his friends.

He had proven himself to be a vital part of the Justice League and in the expanded version they had formed, he was their general, the leader who divvied up the duties and watching over the group. In many ways, J'onn had become the father of the group, with patience and a quiet strength that the younger members looked to for aid and guidance. Tomorrow, he would be back at the helm, directing the missions and determining the players. But for now, he was content to sip a cup of eggnog and smile to himself at the family he had made for himself on this planet.

Flash, or Wally West, was the youngest of the group, the ebullient scarlet speedster who could light up a room with his quips and his goofy grin. Although his youth had sometimes proved to be a barrier in becoming closer to the other group members, his optimism and friendly nature, his perseverance had won all of them over in the end and he was now securely part of the Justice League. As one of the original seven, he was sometimes now called to be a leader to others coming aboard their little enterprise and he had, surprising some, managed to step into that role rather well, guiding the newcomers with a gentle but firm hand and always with a smile, no matter how dire the situation or how extreme the screw-up.

His red hair was tousled and in his hands was a mug of cocoa heaping with marshmallows as he stared up at the tree, enjoying the sight and taking heart in the company. Tomorrow, he would visit the orphanage, as he often did, perhaps even spend some time with his friends from the days of the Titans. Dick and Donna had invited him to join in their holiday festivities and his new girlfriend, Linda, was out of town with her own family, so he figured that joining them might be fun. They could talk about the good old days, reminisce, and he had already bought a gift for their small daughter, Dana, who always enjoyed his antics. It would be good to get back to his roots.

John stood with his arms around Shayera's waist, gently rubbing the small bump that lay underneath her bulky green sweater. After he had ventured into the future with Batman and Diana, courtesy of Chronos, he had realized that what he wanted with Mari was the easy way out. And that simply wasn't his way. So, he had gently broken things off with her, taking a little time to let things cool before entreating Shayera to again begin their relationship. Even though she loved him, she had been hesitant, but had eventually seen the truth in his eyes. Now, she was pregnant and they were hoping for a little girl, although neither of them would actually admit that out loud. John wasn't sure that he wanted the future that he had seen that day, or if it was even possible, but he did know that he wanted Shayera, and he wanted whatever child he was blessed with.

Tomorrow, they would head to Detroit, taking a few days off to enjoy their time together before the baby arrived in a few months. And Shayera finally found that her home wasn't Thanagar, but here, with the Justice League and with John. She still had regrets, still sometimes wondered if things could have been different, but she knew that today was all that mattered and Christmas was the perfect time to remember that and to be with the ones who helped her to realize that her life was here now.

Diana had first come to Man's World a somewhat naïve princess, convinced that she could save the world, that she could make a difference in the lives of both men and women on Earth. She had progressed from a headstrong warrior who battled demons and villains alike into a woman of grace and poise, the ambassador of Themyscira, and a woman who still enjoyed getting her hands dirty and fighting those who favored oppression, treachery, and evil. In short, she still loved to kick a little ass and none of them were sure that would ever change about her. Or that they wanted it to.

On her right hand, she wore a simple platinum band with sapphires that matched her eyes dotting the circle, the inside inscribed with the words, "Love is patient." Her left hand was laced with that of Bruce's and they stood side-by-side amongst their friends, the beauty of her face glowing in the twinkling lights from the tree. The two-some had elected to spend their first Christmas together since their engagement alone in Wayne Manor, having decided to give Alfred some much needed time off and enjoy the company of one another in the solitude and peace that were so rare to both of them. Diana had finally worn Bruce down. After years of sparks between them hot enough to singe, in the end, she had emerged the phoenix, rising from the ashes of his failure to control his love for her, and now, their flame shown steady and bright, having mixed their lives, moving in together and even making the public aware of the romance between former playboy Bruce Wayne and the amazingly attractive ambassador from Themyscira.

Things had changed since that first day, since that first moment when they had agreed to act as the Justice League. Batman might not have agreed to take an active role, but they all had known at the time that that was just a front, a cover for him to use if he deemed it necessary. And, for the most part, he hadn't. He, too, had played a vital role in the creation and maintenance of the Justice League, proving monetary support and his brain, body, and skills whenever they truly needed him.

With time, the sharp edges that had once been Batman had dulled, softened a little around those closest to him. He was still incredibly hard-nosed, stubbornly cocky, and arrogantly self-assured, but somehow, no one had ever expected those things to change. It was more of a subtle relaxing, an ease with them that he'd never had before Diana had entered his life and showered him in her love and her own stubborn will. They made quite the pair, those two, with their hard heads and equally soft hearts.

Flash dashed out of the room, returning with more mugs of hot chocolate for everyone, each cup piled high with marshmallows and Shayera's having the addition of a stick of peppermint, one of the oddest cravings anyone had ever heard of a pregnant woman having. But she enjoyed it, sipping lightly at the frothy liquid, and smiling as the peppermint taste hit her tongue. For long months after the Thanagarian invasion, Shayera had wondered if she would ever be able to do this, to be in a room with these people, taking pleasure in the company of one another; no bitter accusations, no lack of trust, just ease and contentment. Part of that, she supposed, was due to John and his ultimate acceptance of her actions, of her. She had betrayed them all, but she had also betrayed her homeland. Both those actions had taken a long time for her to come to terms with, but she had eventually accepted that sometimes, making the right choices didn't mean making the easy ones. And they all had come to understand the position that she'd been placed in and she'd slowly regained their trust, gradually become a member of the inner circle of friends again. Looking back over her shoulder, red hair waterfalling down her back, she aimed a soft smile at John, one which he returned, tightening his arms around her waist and pulling her back into his body.

Sipping their cocoa, they all gazed at the tree, taking seats on the various plush couches, chatting about recent missions and enjoying the respite from their usual anxiety-filled jobs and lives. Smiles came fast and easy, and laughter quick and bright. Hot chocolate was sipped and enjoyed, until someone finally realized that Wally had added liquor to the mugs of all the men, earning him a glare from Bruce and a tipsy grin from Clark, already on his fourth cocoa of the day.

Finally, J'onn caught their attention with his quiet words. "My friends, thank you for including me in this day of celebration. You have all become my family. It is nice to spend a day such as this with family." He nodded at the room in general, remembering the first Christmas he had spent on Earth among the people, in the home of the Kents. They had made him feel so comfortable, so at peace and at ease, and, remembering that moment, he began to sing, an alien song that all of them decided was both beautiful and poignant, no matter that the words were indecipherable. The point was the gift of the song and that J'onn had chosen to share it.

Afterwards, Wally, with a bright smile, handed each of them a gift that he had made himself – a calendar showcasing pictures of each of them throughout various moments of their friendships and missions. Shayera laughed at the October picture of her chasing Wally around the Watchtower with her mace, while Bruce had to stifle a smile at the May photo of him glaring viciously at Wally's back as the speedster ran off, the caption reading, "The Batmobile lost its wheel, but Flash, he got away!"

Superman, true to his roots, handed every one in the room baked goods of some kind, made with Ma's recipes, he told them proudly. John and Shayera received a large tin of peppermint fudge which Shayera eyes avariciously as John laughed heartily, trying to protect the present from immediate consumption by placing it out of her reach.

J'onn got an apple pie that smelled of nutmeg and cinnamon, and Wally enthusiastically tore the ribbon off of a tin of chocolate chip cookies, without further ado gobbling down a fistful of cookies. With a sheepish grin laced with cookie crumbs, he looked at Clark and said, his mouth full, "Thanks."

Bruce and Diana were handed a delicious confection of sugar and fondant, a cake that looked spun of crystal and lace and interwoven in the design were little bat shapes and stars like those on the Wonder Woman costume. Laughing, Diana pulled out a card from the box that had housed the cake. The front was a festive winter scene and inside it read – "Wedding Cakes by Mrs. Kent available by request". Her laughter increasing, Diana looked up to see Clark blushing rosily at his mother's card. "Sorry," he said, grinning and shrugging his shoulders, "I can't say no to Ma." Bruce just looked up at his friend, surprising them all with a bark of laughter. "Looks like we found a cake maker," he added, wrapping his arm around Diana's shoulders and giving her a tiny squeeze before letting it lay there, warming her.

"Tell your mother thanks, Clark," Diana murmured. Then, with a teasing smile, she added, "I'm not sure about the bats though!" sending a wink at Bruce.

John and Shayera decided to go next, handing everyone one long rectangular present and one smaller square one wrapped in a beautiful paper of emerald green with gold bows perched on the top. Flash was the first one to open the bigger gift, immediately exclaiming, "Cool!" while the others looked on in surprise at what they were receiving. It was a sled, long and black with reigns and everything.

"To rediscover the fun of snow," John said with a loving look at Shayera, remembering the snowball fights their first Christmas together, how much they had enjoyed those happy times together. Glancing down at her belly, his heart simply melted at the thought of what lay beneath and he couldn't believe how much things had changed since that day, how much he and Shayera had overcome in order to come together now, in order to have this baby, this blessing. Pulling her wings back, he pulled his wife into his lap, nuzzling into her neck and smiling when she sighed and replaced a hand over his on her stomach.

Then the group moved on to the second gift, each of them pulling a beautiful watch out of the packaging, all in different shapes and colors that suited the recipient.

"So you're never late for Monitor Duty, Wally," John said with a laugh and the others shared in the moment. Wally's well-known propensity was to wait until the last second and dart into the Monitor Room while the others arrived a few minutes early to find out what was going on and to smoothly take over the shift.

After a few minutes and another round of liquor-less hot chocolate, Diana rose to grab their brightly wrapped gifts to the group from the kitchen, return a multitude of small gifts decorated in various colors and varieties of wrapping paper. She began by handing a small box to John and Shayera. Unwrapping the paper and tossing it to the floor, Shayera pulled out a small crystal ornament that read: Baby's First Christmas.

"For this year and for next," Diana told her with a soft smile, reaching over and rubbing Shayera's belly with the pads of her fingers. The Thanagarian smiled in return, eyes welling as she thought about what Christmas would be like next year with their addition to this little family. Diana handed out the rest of the other boxes and once unwrapped, the Leaguers found a variety of Christmas tree ornaments that depicted their lives as people and as superheroes. Clark had one of the Daily Planet logo, one of a snowy Smallville, and the Superman symbol. J'onn had an ornament that was designed to resemble Mars and one that read "Martian Manhunter". Flash received a gold lightning bolt to hang from the tree and a miniature DJ Rubber Ducky.

"Oh, you heard about that, did you?" he asked sheepishly.

John and Shayera opened a box to find an assortment of ornaments and one decoration, including a pair of dice (to represent how their feelings had come out in Las Vegas, Diana said), a tiny football that read: Detroit Lions, an ornamental power ring, and the decoration being an angel for the top of the tree. Diana had added one small addition to the angel though – in her little hands, the lady clutched a mace remarkably similar to Shayera's. At that, they all burst out laughing; even Bruce enjoyed seeing the expression on Shayera's face and Diana's enjoyment at giving the gifts.

And then she turned to him, handing him a small box. He looked at her in surprise, knowing that they had decided to exchange gifts tomorrow. "Just open it, Bruce" she said in exasperation.

He slowly removed the wrapping paper off the box, gently removing aside the tissue paper and removing a miniature Eiffel Tower ornament. For Paris, he thought, and pulled her back down to the couch with him, giving her a short kiss before whispering, "Later, we dance."

She smiled happily at him, placing her hand on his knee. He gingerly placed the ornament back in the box and set it down on the coffee table next to him.

"So," Wally asked, his mouth again filled with cookies, "When should we expect the little Wonder-Bats?"

With a groan, Clark closed his eyes. Shayera choked on her laughter, pressing a hand to her belly as John just stared at her stomach, hoping to avoid Bruce's wrath. J'onn placed his hand on his forehand, as if unsure whether to mentally strangle himself or Wally.

"Wonder-Bats?" Diana repeated questioningly.

"Yeah, you know," Wally said enthusiastically, "Wonder Woman plus Batman equals Wonder Bats!" Diana's eyes fell immediately to her stomach and Bruce glared at Wally, wrapping his arm tightly around Diana's shoulder and pulling her close to him, tucking her into the side of his body.

"On that note, maybe we should call it a day," Clark added. His brain noticing the instant reaction on the faces of both Bruce and Diana, he stood and the others quickly followed suit. All except Wally.

"What?" he asked in confusion as Clark grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the door. "What'd I say?"

"Thank you for today, Bruce and Diana. We appreciate it," Clark stated as he filed out the front door of the Manor and the others echoed the sentiment, Wally's protests and questions still audible as the group left the engaged couple alone in the Manor.

"Diana?" Bruce murmured softly, placing his hand under her chin and lifting her face so that their eyes met, hers filled with a light that dazzled him in its brightness and intensity. "I'm sorry about Wally. He doesn't know when to quit. Are you okay?"

He and Diana had discussed the idea of having children, but Diana was unaware if she would be able to carry a baby, if the gods had bestowed her with the proper biological tools to allow her to reproduce. They had been trying in the months since their engagement, but to no avail, and Diana's heart had been wrenched every time they'd encountered another failure. He didn't know if Wally's jesting words had let her slip back into grief or if she had recovered from them and their unintentional callousness.

"Yes," she said softly, her thoughts filled with the idea of little "Wonder-Bats", as Wally had called them. Of little girls, like her niece, Dana, with shiny, bouncy black curls and eyes that would remind their mother of Themyscira. Of little boys, rough and tumble, staring at their father with hero worship in their eyes and a heart-breaking smile that would be devastating when they grew up, just like their father. Pressing a hand to her stomach, she let the tears well up in her eyes and the grin finally cross her face as she gave Bruce his Christmas present a little early, throwing herself into his arms and wildly exclaiming, "Yes!"

**Please review!**

**If you would like to see a little extra, like the original 7 and their loved ones (including the new additions) the next Christmas, let me know! It's already in my head...**


	2. The Beautiful Ones

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed, including T, Manuel, Lauren, and Jason "Jack" Jackson! I hope you all like the little bit of extra!**

**Pairings: Dick/Donna; Batman/Wonder Woman; Superman/Lois; Flash/Linda; Hawkgirl/Green Lantern, and a bit of a surprise for J'onn.**

**Chapter Title: The Beautiful Ones**

_**"Paint a perfect picture/Bring 2 life a vision in one's mind/The beautiful ones" - Prince**_

_One year later…_

Diana stood in Wayne Manor, just as she had a year ago, staring at the Christmas tree that lit up the room with the beauty of the twinkling white lights and the colorful bulbs, admiring the garlands that draped over the staircase just outside the room and the scent of cranberries and pine that filled the room, courtesy of Alfred and the scented candles that decorated the room. The fireplace was crackling with logs, a blazing fire filling the space and adding warmth to the room that was filled with friends and family. Adorning the mantel were five stockings – one for Alfred, one for Diana, one for Bruce, and one for each of the twins. Just gazing at the five gaily decorated stockings gave Diana a warm feeling inside and she would never forget standing here a year ago, telling Bruce that she was pregnant and all that had come since.

He had been the most protective of husbands, limiting her Justice League duties to monitoring and paperwork only, a notion which she agreed with in order to safeguard the child, so she had thought at the time, growing in her womb. Her work as an ambassador of Themyscira had slowed only slightly. She still made time for her charity work and her ambassadorship was a key part of the role she played in Man's World, her world, now.

Glancing around the room, she noticed Clark and Lois in one corner, talking quietly with Flash and his girlfriend, Linda. Lois' hand was hovering protectively over her stomach and Diana could only smile at the thought of another baby joining the growing ranks of the Justice League children. Her own twins had been born in the months following the birth of Shayera and John's baby girl, Sarah, who had made her arrival one cold and wild night in February during a blizzard. John of course, had accurately remarked, "Like mother, like daughter." And now little Sarah was in the arms of her father across the room, struggling valiantly to free herself from his arms, obviously intrigued by the dazzling display of bows and ribbons on the presents on the floor under the tree. Shayera, with a proud smile, often referred to her daughter as "Little Miss Independent" and from the baby-sitting duties she had offered herself and Bruce up for in the months before their twins' arrival, she knew that Sarah was willful, stubborn, and amazingly adorable, with her little wings and her cherubic smile, the dark skin and the emerald green eyes. Other than the dark skin, she was a carbon copy of her mother and sometimes, Diana would catch John just staring at his daughter in utter amazement and pride.

Of course, sometimes she caught herself and Bruce doing the same with their children.

Clark and Lois were expecting a baby a few months after Christmas and lately, Clark had been seen to walk around the Watchtower with a constant goofy and foolish grin on his lips, already ready to play the proud papa. He showed off ultrasound photos whenever anyone would stop long enough to be captured and discussed potential baby names with anyone within ear's length. Diana had taken pity on him one night and let him rattle on for an hour about what he and Lois were thinking about naming their baby, much to Bruce's dismay. He had left the twins in Alfred's capable hands and taken the transporter to the Watchtower, hunting down his wife with a passion and a fury that hadn't even phased Clark when he'd come upon them. Diana had simply rolled her eyes at Clark's reaction to Bruce and had been less than surprised when Bruce, silently, had grabbed her arm and practically hauled her from the room, walking down the corridor to the transporter with Clark on their heels, chattering away the entire time. He probably hadn't even noticed they'd left, Diana mused with a soft smile on her face.

Her gaze alighting on Wally, she couldn't help but be amazed at how much the scarlet speedster had grown during the past few years. He was still full of optimism and possessed a mischievous sense of humor, but he seemed more in control of himself now than she'd ever thought him capable of in the past.

Taking a sip of her hot chocolate, Diana wondered how things were progressing between Wally and Linda. The couple had been practically inseparable since they'd met and she had a feeling that it wouldn't be long until wedding bells were ringing for Wally and Linda. She was good for Wally, Diana decided, looking at the linked hands of the twosome and the happy and contented smile on Wally's face that seemed ever-present these days. They were a good balance of the outgoing and quietly satisfied. Wally had stopped the self-promotion through television and advertising and instead, continued his charity work in secret (or so he thought) and often enjoyed taking groups of schoolchildren for tours of the Flash museum in Central City, always wearing the Flash costume and making the day of whatever children happened to be lucky enough to have him. He was such a softie sometimes, she thought, such a great guy behind the occasionally out-there sense of humor and she admired what he was doing with himself these days, the steps that he had taken to grow up and become an adult.

Wandering over to the little group were J'onn and Zatanna, who had just arrived and obviously been shown in courtesy of Alfred. It had been interesting to watch the relationship develop between these two, Diana considered, and although the pairing seemed somewhat unusual, she knew from experience that sometimes the relationships that others thought would work, would fit together, just weren't compatible or didn't always happen like it should. No one had seen her and Bruce coming together, she mused, much less the happiness that filled her now courtesy of her loving husband and her twins.

Anyway, J'onn deserved happiness just like the rest of them and it wasn't her place to say that Zatanna wasn't the perfect fit for him. In fact, he seemed less stoic, more satisfied with his life than she had ever seen him since his arrival on Earth. Zatanna was perky and outgoing, the perfect foil for J'onn, the most reserved member of the League. Lately, he had been more open to a good joke, more affable, and even now he was smiling, just slightly, as Zatanna used her magic to place a Santa hat on top of Wally's tousled red hair.

John and Shayera were sipping hot cocoa as they talked with Dick and Donna, still trying to get their daughter to stop grasping the bulbs and garland that hung from the enormous Christmas tree in the center of the living room. The little girl's eyes were filled with want and reflected the lights from the trees as she batted at the limbs, her father calmly pulling her closer to his chest and continuing his end of conversation without breaking stride. Shayera looked absolutely radiant, one hand wrapped around a mug and the other resting on her husband's arm, occasionally bestowing a brilliant smile on her husband and laughing at the jokes that Diana was sure Dick was telling. She was never quite sure if he was more of her brother-in-law or son-in-law, so she decided that friend and family member was the best way to describe her relationship with Dick.

He was perfect for her sister, she mused, a leader just like his father, but with more passion and less brooding. And Donna had certainly never seemed more content than when she and Dick had first embarked upon their relationship. In many ways, the twosome had been instrumental in bringing her and Bruce closer together and for that, she could never thank them enough. Little Dana was dressed in a plaid Christmas dress, her shiny Mary Jane shoes already scuffed and marked from whatever activities she had been enjoying since her arrival earlier this morning. The others had arrived only an hour or so ago, but Bruce and Diana had decided that this way to be a day of family, all their family, and Dick and Donna were one of the biggest parts of that.

And although Bruce would never admit it, even under torture, Diana was sure, he absolutely loved his granddaughter, Dana, and the two of them were almost inseparable whenever they all got together. In the beginning, Diana knew that Dana had been a way for Bruce to make up to his son for all the problems and hardships that had come between them. But in time, just as she had predicted would happen, the little girl had wrapped her grandpa around her finger and on occasion, Bruce had even offered to baby-sit without Diana having to first make the offer. There was something about that combination of dark curly hair and contented eyes that Diana was sure reminded Bruce of a younger Dick, and that same pride that he felt in his son was immediately given over to the daughter as well.

Earlier, she'd been surprised when Dana had marched into the house, stripped off her jacket, and immediately demanded that her grandpa give her a piggyback ride just like her daddy did. And to the shock and amazement of Dick, Donna, and Diana, Bruce had swept up his granddaughter, placing her on his back and had proceeded to race around the house with a smile on his face that was reserved for his granddaughter. He had a different one for the twins, and a special one for herself, Diana thought to herself with a secret smile. Donna and Diana had shared a moment when Bruce had raced off, and Dick's reaction had been speechless, although she knew that once he regained his tongue, his teasing of Bruce would be relentless. It was one of the things she loved about Dick – he made Bruce more human.

And he made Donna happy, she thought, looking at her sister. And lately, they'd all been trying to put the past behind them and look forward to the future, even if that was a little harder for Bruce than the rest of them. As her husband pushed his way into his mind, she looked around for him, but she couldn't feel his presence in the room and decided to go seek him out. There was a party going on down here with all their friends and by Hera, he wouldn't try and skip out on this one.

Walking out of the room, she stopped by the kitchen first, spying Alfred in the midst of preparing some hors d'oeuvres. "Alfred," she began with a smile, "You know that you're more than welcome to join us in there. In fact, I insist." She moved towards him, taking his hand, feeling the strength beneath the wrinkled skin and gave him a small smile, "Go."

"But, Madam, the food…"

"Alfred," she said with the sternest look in her eye that she could muster, "It's Christmas, a time for friends and family. No one out there is going to care about the food when they have each other for company. Now, I know that Leslie is coming soon." Seeing the hint of a blush in the older man's cheeks, she knew that she'd hit the right button with that statement. "Maybe you should go upstairs and tidy yourself up. Don't worry about anything in here."

Knowing his wily ways, she stood there until he had left the kitchen, a soft smile in his eyes that belied the worry on his face and knew that while he was still anxious about the food, it was just part of his nature, he always wanted to look his best for Leslie. The two had been involved in Bruce's life for a long time and it was nice that things between them were finally growing romantically as well.

Poor Bruce, she thought, it had taken him a period of adjustment in order to finally accept Leslie and Alfred's relationship with the pleasure she knew that he was capable of. It had simply been odd for him to realize that his surrogate father and one of the most important women in his life had developed feelings for one another. No one wanted to think about their parents that way, she supposed, and Alfred and Leslie were the closest things that Bruce had had to that for quite some time.

And speaking of Bruce, she headed out of the kitchen and slowly began to walk up the stairs, her hand trailing along the railing as she let the contentment of today fill her, the joy of having family and friends gathered close for the holidays, and how happy everyone seemed to be today, especially since all the additions last year. Reaching the top landing, she heard the sounds of laughter and could smell the woodsy pine, and decided to take a minute to visit the additions of her own family. Passing the master bedroom, she poked her head in, but Bruce didn't seem to be anywhere in the room and when she heard the deep voice from the room next door, she realized just where he was.

Exiting the master bedroom, her feet led her down the hall to the play room that she and Bruce had designed for their own kids and all those who visited, like Dana. Walking in, she saw Bruce on the floor, Dana in his lap, and the twins on the floor in front of him, wiggling and grasping futilely for the bouncy ribbon Dana was holding before them, their tiny giggles warming her heart just as the look on Bruce's face did. Standing in the doorway, she took a minute to enjoy the scene, to rejoice in how far the man she loved had come, from the cold, aloof detective who preferred the Bat-cave to the thoughtful man who managed to make time for both of his jobs and his family, who managed to relax in the company of others and who loved his children with a thoroughness that Diana still found bemusing and wonderful.

Dana giggled as Callia's chubby fingers grasped the ribbon for a second just before Dana pulled the ribbon back up, out of the reach of the baby girl. The baby seemed content just to play with her little cousin, to enjoy the game, but Nicholas was on the verge of tears, his little face scrunched up and paying absolutely no attention to the antics of his father and Dana. Hesitating for a moment, loathe to interrupt the sweetness of the scene, Diana took a step forward and immediately, Bruce looked up and their eyes met. He was unsmiling, his typical expression, even these days, but in his blue eyes, Diana could see the pleasure he took in the moment, the joy he got from all these small children who had entered his life.

She gave him a small smile before reaching down and picking up her son, hefting him into her arms and enjoying the weight as he cuddled into her, even though his expression spelled his displeasure and, she assumed, his need for food. She rubbed a finger along his downy cheek, still feeling that same sense of wonder that his little man, that this little human was a part of her and Bruce, that he was hers, theirs.

"We miss you downstairs," she said softly to her husband, letting him know that she had been aware of his absence and that mostly, it was _she_ that missed his presence.

"Give me a minute," he answered, plucking Dana off his lap and placing her on the ground, taking hold of her hand in order to lead her downstairs. He leaned down and eased Callia off the floor and into his arm, never letting go of Dana. And together, they all walked downstairs, back to the friends that had become a second family.

**Please review! I hope you all like it and that it puts you in the holiday spirit! **

**Is there anything in particular that you liked??? I love hearing it!**

Author's Note: CALLIA – Greek; beautiful; NICHOLAS – Greek; victorious people


	3. Forever In My Life

**Thanks to DWParsnip for being my beta for this chapter!**

**Thanks to all of you who have reviewed! I really appreciate all the comments and support this story has received. Enjoy!**

**Pairings: Dick/Donna; Batman/Wonder Woman**

**Chapter Title: Forever In My Life**

_**"I never imagined that love would rain on me/And make me wanna settle down/Baby it's true, I think I do/And I just wanna tell U that I wanna with U (baby, if U do 2)/And baby if U do 2/Forever, forever, baby I want U forever/I wanna keep U 4 the rest of my life (U can make right)/All that is wrong in my world (U are my saviour)/U can make right (U are my light)/U are my saviour, U are my light (Forever I want U in my life)/Forever I want U in my life" - Prince**_

**_Dedicated to LG - enjoy your favorite couple!_**

_The Next Day, Christmas, Wayne Manor_

Diana woke to the feeling of her husband's arms wrapped around her and rejoiced when she realized that the twins had actually managed to sleep through the night. Blissfully content, she snuggled deeper into his arms, glad that he had given Gotham only a few hours of his time last night, preferring to return to the confines of Wayne Manor and enjoy Christmas Eve with his family.

They had finally convinced the Grayson family to stay overnight in the Manor, hoping to have a family Christmas that included Bruce's adopted son and Diana's sister and all the children together. Bruce simply adored Dana and Diana had known all along that he wouldn't ask Dick and Donna to spend the night, hoping they'd simply make the decision themselves. She'd taken that choice out of his hands, asking her sister and Dick if they wanted to spend the night at the Manor and have a family Christmas, all together in one place, watching the kids unwrap gifts and most likely enjoying Dana's antics all the while. She was at that age where presents were actually more than just the excitement of ribbons and bows and all of them, including Alfred and Bruce, had enjoyed buying Dana a multitude of gifts.

She was certainly going to be spoiled, Diana mused, and wondered if Callia and Nicholas would receive the same treatment next Christmas, when they were a little older and could possibly appreciate their gifts. She knew that she would enjoy next year, waking up once again in her husband's arms and watching the kids wrap their pudgy fingers around the brightly colored bows and boxes, their faces wreathed in smiles.

She'd never celebrated Christmas at home on Themyscira, but she had adopted the tradition as part of her new home, enjoying the celebrations of friendship and family. The party yesterday had been about exactly those things. It had been nice to see the original seven members of the Justice League together again, now with spouses and significant others, even children all around and a few on the way.

She pictured Clark, his hand gently rubbing Lois' belly, a goofy smile on his face as he pictured next Christmas with their child. Knowing Clark, she mused, their apartment would be filled to the brim with Christmas presents. Or perhaps they'd be in Kansas, surrounded by Kara and the Kents enjoying the presence of their first grandchild; baking, caroling, and handing out homemade gifts or something of the sort. She'd met Clark's parents at her wedding to Bruce and had been charmed by the simplicity of the couple – that innate goodness that they'd radiated and obviously passed onto their son. He was a good man and Diana was happy that he and Lois had finally found the happiness they'd been seeking for so long.

Especially since she understood that sentiment, she mulled, having spent years trying to get Bruce to see the vision that she had of the two of them, of the happiness that she'd known would be theirs if only he'd accept it. He was a stubborn one, she thought, smiling softly and turning slightly to look into his sleep lined face. Even in repose, it was a handsome face, full of character and beauty, especially since she knew what intelligence and courageousness lurked behind the superficial features.

It hadn't been the face that she'd fallen in love with, but the man behind the mask, all the things that made him who he was, both as Batman and as Bruce Wayne.

And it amused her sometimes that the entire world thought that Wonder Woman was in love with a now _former_ playboy billionaire. She understood his reasons for keeping his identity a secret, particularly as they had started a family, one that Bruce inherently felt the need to protect.

She thought about the night that they had decided to take their relationship public, even if the world hadn't known that they'd already been involved. Dick and Donna had been trying to concoct a story for their meeting as well, and finally, they'd stumbled onto the perfect scenario: a charity ball.

Diana and Donna had attended the Wayne Foundation charity ball together, graciously greeting the crowds while all the while sharing secret smiles and furtive glances. It was well-known that these two women of Themyscira were proponents of charity work, often having espoused the virtues of charity and of helping others. They'd entered the ball knowing that each of them looked amazing, having taken considerable time with their outfits in order to help along their mission of the evening.

And when Mr. Wayne and his adopted son, Mr. Grayson, had taken center stage in order to talk about that evening's charity, there in the audience, looking amazing and captivating the two men, were the Wonder sisters otherwise known as Diana and Donna.

Bruce's jaw had fallen open and he'd done a great job of displaying his open interest in the Amazon Princess while Dick had immediately straightened his tie while eyeing Donna. Cutting his prepared speech short, Bruce had walked into the audience and immediately solicited Diana for a dance, stating quietly (but just loud enough for the gossipmongers to hear) that he'd been waiting for a second chance ever since their dance in Kasnia that ill-fated eve.

Dick had followed hot on his father's heels, doing his best to charm Donna off her feet. From all accounts of that evening, he had succeeded admirably. It was said that from that evening on, the Wayne men were smitten, utterly head over heels for the Amazon sisters.

It wasn't far from the truth. They'd already been smitten, it was simply a matter of bringing it all out into the open for people to talk about and recognize. And from that day on, no one had looked askance at the relationship between these two couples, having seen the instant attraction and connection that had flared when their eyes had met across a crowded ballroom, that first blaze of lust that had faded into a steady flame of a true relationship.

Bruce's smile that night was one of Diana's favorite memories to curl up with and enjoy. To see a real, true smile on the face of Bruce Wayne out in public was a rarity and the fact that she, that their relationship, had initiated it, was something that still caused her insides to heat with passion and happiness.

Their first Christmas with everyone under one roof was simply icing on her cake. Yesterday had gone amazingly well – she'd enjoyed the sharing of the group and wondered if perhaps next year, they should invite the entire League or simply keep it a little more intimate, a little more private. Whatever they decided, it would somehow come together, just as this one had.

But for now, she was ready to greet the morning. Tilting her head, she began to nibble her husband's jaw line, taking pleasure in the slight graze of the stubble against her chin and lips. When his eyelids finally fluttered and his dark gaze landed on her, she smiled softly and murmured, "Merry Christmas, Bruce."

"Mmmm," he said, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms around her a little tighter. With a slight yawn, he looked down into his wife's radiant face, bathed in the golden light that streamed in from the windows.

"Twins?" he questioned and she understood his unspoken question.

"Slept through the night," she murmured. Feeling a series of soft kisses being laid on her neck as a hand swept away her hair, she shivered, savoring the sensations streaking down her spine; especially when the kisses were followed by Bruce's words of, "Perhaps I should wish you a Merry Christmas before we're interrupted."

At Diana's quiet assent, he began to love his wife throughout the early morning hours of Christmas.

Later, hair mussed and robes hastily tossed on, they made their way down to the nursery to see Alfred carefully watching Nicholas as he played with one of his toys on the floor of the room while Callia lay in the butler's arms, enjoying a bottle. The two made their way quietly into the room, not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere. Diana walked over to Alfred and laid a hand on the older man's shoulder, watching her tiny daughter as she had her breakfast. Callia sat quietly, staring up into Alfred's face and Diana knew that her daughter could give Alfred no better present than her undivided attention for Christmas.

He had been ecstatic when they had announced the impending birth and had been the first to hold either twin after their births once the proud parents had finally relinquished them. The proud joy on Alfred's face was something that was imprinted in Diana's mind, particularly since she had witnessed that same joy of becoming a grandparent from Bruce when Dana had been born. It was an amazing experience, she assumed, when you realized that your child had a child of their own, that the torch had been passed onto the next generation.

Today, nothing, she knew, would please Alfred more than having three small children and all the rest of them gathered under the roof. Hearing footsteps padding down the hall, she smiled when she saw Tim walk into the room, hair spiky from his pillow and still looking like he was half-asleep, his typical expression early in the mornings.

He immediately joined his father on the carpet with Nicholas, watching the baby's pudgy fingers play with his toy, gurgling sounds echoing from Nicholas's throat. Diana hadn't been sure how Tim would take to having two babies in the house, but to her happy surprise, he had been pleased not only by their relationship, but by having the twins around. Part of her was certain it was because the babies deflected Bruce's attention, but she also thought that a part of it could be loneliness as well. She watched Tim laugh at the baby's antics and smiled at the sound.

Within moments, another set of heads popped their way into the nursery, towing along a frantically excited Dana, eager to open her presents, her eyes wide with enthusiasm and anticipation. She immediately rushed into the room and jumped onto her Grandpa Bruce's lap, giggling and chattering away in a language that no one could quite understand, finally getting to her feet and trying, stubbornly, to drag Bruce toward the door so they could go downstairs.

Following their daughter, Dick turned to Donna and whispered in an aside, "You'd swear she was more his than ours."

Donna just gave her husband a laughing glance in return and took his hand, leading him to the stairs, her eyes glowing with the same excitement that had been in her daughter's. Diana left Callia in Alfred's capable arms, knowing that they would be down shortly and turned her attention to Nicholas, scooping him up into her arms and laughing when he immediately began to pull at her hair, the long ebony locks down and free.

Descending the stairs with Tim at her side, she could see the glow from the tree in the living room downstairs and wished she could have seen Dana's face when she had seen all the gifts that had been gathered underneath the tree. Beside her, Tim was trying to look grown up and serious, but failing miserably under the Christmas spirit was that getting positively infectious throughout the house, especially when Dana's giggles erupted through the room, followed by a loud shaking sound that could only mean she was taking the presents for a test drive before opening them.

Entering the room, she saw Dick and Donna perched on one of the sofas, their eyes eating up the sight of their daughter's happiness. Making her way towards them, she motioned for Tim to join her on a couch opposite her sister and her husband. Bruce was sitting on a leather recliner, watching his granddaughter eye up all the presents, wondering how many of the pretty boxes and bows belonged to her. Tim surreptitiously cast his eye over the presents, trying not to let anyone notice that he too was making a survey of the presents under the tree, noting how many times he saw his name appear on a name tag.

Looking at the happy family gathered around her, Diana smiled, one arm filled with Nicholas and with the other, she placed her hand on Tim's shoulder, enjoying the quietly excited look on his face. Meanwhile, Dana was pointing stubbornly at one of the larger boxes, her little face getting red with exertion from bouncing around and gesturing at her father to let her open it. Patiently, he pulled her into his lap and said, "We have to wait for Great-Grandpa Alfred and Callia, honey." Eyeing her indignant expression and then his adopted father, he added, "Wonder who she gets her stubborn nature from."

Bruce simply smiled.

Hearing footsteps, they all looked over to see Alfred, Callia in his arms, enter the room and take a seat in another leather recliner. Dana immediately pushed out of her father's arms and jumped to the floor, rushing over to the present she had been trying to open before and throwing her arms around it. "Me?" she asked and, laughing, Donna said, "Yes, sweetie, it's for you," and watched as her daughter immediately, without any hesitation, began tearing the wrapping paper from the present, filling the air with scraps of ribbon and paper in her haste to open the gift. They all laughed and then Bruce reached down and handed Tim a present, knowing that there was just enough kid in him to want to copy Dana's actions and tear into the gifts.

With a sigh, Diana looked around at her family. Looking down at Nicholas for a second and smiling, she leaned over towards the tree, handing her sister a gift, her eyes lighting up as she watched the way that Donna unconsciously rubbed her belly, at the protective and loving arm that Dick had around his wife. The happiness in the room was practically palpable and she couldn't help but marvel at how far they had come, at all they'd each overcome in order to be here, at Christmas, with each other.

**_Please review! Also, do you want more or should I finally call this one-shot completed?_**


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